Veganism

June 24, 2011

Could the 1977 VW van that carried Hilda (our first rescued animal) to safety and played a pivotal role in the creation of Farm Sanctuary make it across the U.S. after sitting idle for more than 15 years? That was a question on many people’s minds as we prepared for the Just Eats Tour, a cross country trip to explore vegan America that depended on our old van to bring us from New York to California.

The Just Eats Tour started in New York City, where we visited incredible vegan eateries, attended Farm Sanctuary’s 25th Anniversary Gala, and participated in the Veggie Pride Parade. We left the Big Apple on a rainy evening and headed toward Wilmington, DE. As we drove along the bumpy, potholed roads of New York and New Jersey, a projectile blew a hole in our driver’s side headlight and sent a chrome ring around the light flying. It was our first day on the road, we had more than 5,000 miles to go, and we already had a vehicular mishap. Would the old van make it?

Thankfully, the van kept rolling, even though it lost a few parts here and there. We also had to replace three tires. One blew out going 70 miles per hour on a hot Texas highway - it exploded, bending metal, dislodging our battery, and knocking out the tail lights. Although we were delayed, we continued on, and happily, after three weeks on the road, the van pulled into Orland, CA, in time for Farm Sanctuary’s annual Hoe Down. It was a beautiful event and the perfect conclusion to our cross -country exploration.

Besides the dependability of our old VW van, we were taken by the remarkable passion and diversity of America’s vegan food movement. We found vegans in urban and rural areas, representing all shapes and sizes, ethnicities and lifestyles. We met entrepreneurs, authors, academics, and spiritual and business leaders. We spoke with people who have been vegan for decades and others who just recently decided to forego animal products. And we also met second and third generations of vegans. The vegan movement is bringing people of different ages and various backgrounds together around common interests.

Restaurants are catching on, experimenting with vegan dishes and reporting strong demand. They have been impressed by how enthusiastic and appreciative vegan customers are to see plant-based options. The vegan community is helping these businesses to make plant foods more widely available, providing menu suggestions, product recommendations, and even recipes and food preparation tips. And with more vegan options available, omnivores are increasingly choosing them. Everywhere we went across the U.S., we saw that the vegan movement is vibrant and growing!

April 25, 2011

For decades, two prominent scientists, Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn (a doctor at the Cleveland Clinic) and Dr. Colin Campbell (a nutritional biochemist at Cornell University), have researched the impacts of food on human health. The empirical evidence has led both to the same conclusion: Our health is well served when we nourish ourselves with whole plant foods and eliminate animal products from our diets.

Now, Campbell and Esselstyn are the subjects of a groundbreaking new documentary called Forks Over Knives that is being released across North America this May. The film also includes interviews with other experts (you can see my clip above) and the stories of people whose health and lives have been changed by eating better. It explains how 70 to 80% of our health care costs, and untold suffering, could be prevented by heeding Esselstyn and Campbell’s recommendations. (Prompted by reading books like Campbell’s The China Study, Bill Clinton has adopted a plant-based diet, and his health has improved.)

The widespread release of Forks Over Knives provides a huge opportunity to educate others and raise awareness about how we can vastly improve our nation’s health by making more sensible food choices. And, when people shift to eating plants instead of animals, animals’ lives are spared too. Encourage everyone you know and care about – your co-workers, friends, family, and loved ones – to see the film! It could help change their lives, lighten our species’ footprint on the planet, and stop cruelty to farm animals.

April 01, 2011

This week marked an important milestone for farm animals. Martha Stewart, America’s domestic icon and the woman who wrote the book on modern living, devoted an entire hour-long episode of “The Martha Stewart Show” (Hallmark Channel, 10 AM ET/9 AM C) to the pleasures and benefits of living a compassionate vegan lifestyle. I was honored to be a part of this groundbreaking show, along with my good friends and fellow vegans Twitter Co-Founder Biz Stone, who will serve as the Honorary Chair of Farm Sanctuary’ s 25th Anniversary Gala in Los Angeles on September 24, and health and wellness guru Kathy Freston, author of the New York Times best-seller Veganist.

Millions of viewers watched as Biz showed Martha how to prepare one of his favorite vegan dishes — Seitan Bourguignon — and told her about how his life changed after visiting the New York Shelter of Farm Sanctuary and looking into the eyes of a cow. They listened as Kathy explained why our bodies are better able to process plant-based foods rather than animal-based ones. With humor, personal anecdotes and factual expertise, Biz and Kathy showed Martha — and the people watching at home across the U.S. — how fun and easy veganism can be.

For my part, viewers were introduced to Persia, the sheep who Martha adopted through our Adopt-A-Farm Animal Project back in February, and the life she’s enjoying at Farm Sanctuary. I talked about the horrific treatment of animals on factory farms and how eating plants instead of animals is the best way people can protect them from this abuse. I told Martha about my dear friend Opie, who I found as a calf dying of hypothermia at a stockyard with a temperature so low it wouldn’t even register on the thermometer. Viewers saw incredible “before” and “after” photos of Opie, who with proper care and support pulled through and grew up to weigh nearly 3,000 pounds and to enjoy a long, happy life at Farm Sanctuary.

When programs like “The Martha Stewart Show” devote valuable air-time to the plight of farm animals and the benefits of veganism, a powerful message is planted in the public consciousness demonstrating that these issues are important and worthy of our consideration. Stewart has built a media empire based on her uncanny ability to influence the tastes and opinions of consumers. When she speaks about the importance of showing compassion for farm animals, millions of people — many of whom may never have considered these issues before — listen. Some might decide to go vegan right on the spot while others may decide to “lean into” veganism — as Kathy so wisely puts it — by reducing the amount of animal products they consume. All of this is progress and means that less animals will suffer. Martha Stewart’s vegan show was a major event, as a mainstream audience was exposed to compassionate living ideas, and that’s a very good thing.

February 04, 2011

A recurring theme of The Oprah Winfrey Show is “live your best life,” and indeed, throughout the show’s 25 years on the air, Oprah and her band of experts have shown us countless ways we can live better. Often, these tools have applied to a single area of life — health, spirituality, fitness, philanthropy, etc., but this week, during her farewell season, Oprah presented her viewers with a single step they can take to improve nearly ALL areas of life. Together with 378 of her staff members, Oprah went vegan for a week and the program that aired this week about the experience was an eye-opener to millions of viewers unfamiliar with the many benefits of consuming a plant-based diet. To address the reality of animals being killed for meat, the show also included a reporter’s visit to a cattle slaughterhouse. Although cameras were not allowed to show animals actually being killed, millions of viewers saw frightened animals walking to slaughter and carcasses being dismembered in the slaughterhouse assemblyline.

Oprah’s guests included two best-selling authors who have written extensively about food and wellness, Michael Pollan and Kathy Freston. Pollan, who eats meat twice a week, argued that meat eating is normal and part of human history. Freston, who is a vegan, spoke passionately and convincingly about the benefits of vegan living. Her new book, Veganist, was catapulted to #1 on Amazon.com after the show aired.

Several of Oprah’s staff members described their positive experiences with vegan eating – one lost more than 10 pounds and said he never felt better, and another explained simply that vegan living agreed with him. Some of Oprah’s other staffers were less enthusiastic, including one who was suffering withdrawal symptoms from her addiction to fast food. Oprah is to be commended for airing this topic, even though she seemed deferential to the livestock industry, which sued her in the 1990s after she raised concerns about beef production.

The Oprah Winfrey Show and Farm Sanctuary both began in 1986, during an era marked by unbridled excess and great social and economic change. At the time, little attention was being paid to topics such as spirituality and the intrinsic worth of all life. While early episodes of Oprah’s show followed a Phil Donahue-style exploration of sensationalistic social issues, she eventually transformed her series into a more positive, spiritually uplifting experience. At the core of The Oprah Winfrey Show and Farm Sanctuary is a desire to make life better for all living beings. That an episode during Oprah’s final season (and our 25th anniversary year) should directly intersect with our mission is a very encouraging sign.

The livestock industry is feeling threatened, and as more people recognize the benefits of being vegan, factory farmers have reason for concern. You can see more about Oprah’s show here.

January 21, 2011

In addition to the meat, dairy and egg recalls and exposés of factory farming cruelty that made national news in 2010, a number of other headlines appeared in agribusiness trade publications that weren’t so widely circulated in the public eye.

On the last day of 2010, Meatingplace.com (an online meat industry site) published their top 10 most-read news stories of the year. The list included articles with the following titles:

These examples indicate just how dangerous and violent work in the meat industry can be, with two worker deaths, one worker who lost his legs in a meat grinder, and one who had a bomb in his locker. But as tragic and dramatic as these events are, the chronic misery and widespread suffering wrought by animal agriculture goes much further. Billions of animals suffer intolerable abuse and untimely deaths every year, while millions of Americans experience debilitating and preventable health problems (and premature deaths) related to the excessive consumption of meat, dairy and eggs.

We are what we eat, and our food choices have profound consequences for animals, ourselves and the environment. As George Bernard Shaw once said, "While we ourselves are the living graves of murdered beasts, how can we expect any ideal conditions on this earth?" And as Pythagorus observed thousands of years ago, "For as long as men massacre animals, they will kill each other. Indeed, he who sows the seed of murder and pain cannot reap joy and love." Such wisdom speaks to the fact that violence only leads to more violence. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Fortunately, we all have the chance to live better simply by choosing to eat plants instead of animals.

December 10, 2010

The holiday season is upon us, and that often means a time to gather with loved ones, and share food, gifts and stories. While seeing friends and family for the holidays can be a blessing, it can also be difficult for vegetarians and vegans. It can be upsetting when someone opens a new pair of leather boots, or when a ham is brought to the dinner table. In these moments, remember to live by example; a compassionate world begins with you.

When the holidays roll around, you can make a huge difference simply by offering plant-based meal options. Offer to host the meal or bring a vegan side-dish to the table. The people in your life should have a chance to experience the same wonderful food you experience every day. This may also spark conversation about the compassionate lifestyle you live. Remember, be understanding of your loved ones and don’t get graphic at the dinner table. But use the opportunity to gently explain why you believe all animals have inherent worth.

You can also show your family the worth of farm animals by making this year’s gifts symbolic through farm animal sponsorships. Through our Adopt-A-Farm-Animal Project, you can introduce your loved ones to the distinct personality of a hen, or the playful spirit of a goat.

The holidays are also a great time to reach out to strangers. Organize a leafleting, set up a table, and draft a letter to the editor. For more tips on holiday activism, check out our Holiday Survival Guide.

Above all, remember kindness is key. The individuals in our lives are caring people. We can help them live out those values in all aspects of their lives. This holiday season, inspire those around you to live compassionately.

December 03, 2010

Thanksgiving is a difficult holiday for vegetarians and vegans in the U.S. Tens of millions of turkeys are mercilessly and violently slaughtered, so consumers across the nation can sit down to a feast that is supposed to be about gratitude and the celebration of life. Since 1986, Farm Sanctuary has sought to challenge this troubling and ethically inconsistent tradition, and to replace it with a compassionate alternative that is more closely aligned with the spirit of the holiday. We celebrate and honor the lives of rescued turkeys through our Adopt-A-Turkey Project. At our sanctuaries in Watkins Glen, N.Y. and Orland, Calif., we have Celebrations FOR the Turkeys, where we feed our rescued turkeys their very own Thanksgiving feast, while we dine on a delectable vegan meal. We also place rescued turkeys in good homes through our Turkey Express and encourage citizens across the U.S. to sponsor rescued turkeys who live at Farm Sanctuary.

A huge part of the Adopt-A-Turkey Project since its inception almost 25 years ago has been media outreach to educate the public about the way turkeys are raised on commercial farms and to encourage people to celebrate a compassionate feast. Over the years, I’ve done hundreds of interviews with various broadcast and print media, including national network television as well as local newspapers and radio stations. In the past, belligerent radio personalities have derided and demeaned our efforts to save turkeys from slaughter. One radio station even played turkey gobbles over my voice as I spoke, drowning out my words as the radio hosts joked. Turkeys, and those who speak out for them and other farm animals, have had an uphill climb. But, things are changing. With growing awareness about the many abuses of factory farming, there is a new mainstream support for reforming the system, and the tone of media interviews about our Thanksgiving efforts have shifted in a more positive and respectful direction. This year, the number of people sponsoring turkeys through Farm Sanctuary’s Adopt-A-Turkey Project doubled over last year, our press coverage on the project increased exponentially, and vegetarian Thanksgiving feasts are now part of the mainstream conscience.

We still have a long way to go, but as members of the media and a growing segment of the population begin to acknowledge that killing animals is a serious issue, and unnecessary, we are turning a corner. For all who participated in the Adopt-A-Turkey Project this year, we thank you for helping to make this holiday a more compassionate one for all.

September 28, 2010

What started circulating as rumor was recently confirmed when former U.S. President Bill Clinton announced in a public interview that he had begun to experiment with a plant-based diet. Making reference to a medical study that began in the mid-1980s and followed subjects on a cholesterol-free diet, Clinton stated that he was intrigued by the high rate of success participants had in keeping heart disease at bay and wanted to see if adopting similar eating habits would have good results for him.

According to another source, Clinton’s decision to give veganism a try was also prompted by books like The China Study– a groundbreaking masterpiece co-authored by T. Colin Campbell, the renowned Cornell University professor and researcher who recently spoke at Farm Sanctuary’s New York Country Hoe Down. Examining the connection between animal-based foods and life-threatening disease, this body of work remains the most comprehensive health and nutrition study of its kind. Featured in an equally eye-opening documentary called Forks Over Knives, Campbell and his work continue to reach a wider audience, compelling more and more people to conduct healthy experiments of their own. The film, which includes an interview with Farm Sanctuary President and Co-founder Gene Baur, is slated to hit theaters in March 2011 and I highly recommend that you see it!

When a public figure like Bill Clinton is willing to speak candidly about diet, and suggest alternative ways to eat for good health, it brings essential questions about what animal product consumption is doing to our bodies, our planet and our fellow creatures further into the mainstream, raising awareness and consciousness that will hopefully inspire some profound effects as time goes on. The more “veganism” becomes a household name, and the more people get intrigued and inspired to make decisions that create positive change, the more compassionate and healthy our world will eventually be.

September 08, 2010

A groundbreaking new study funded by the National Institutes of Health and published in the Annals of Internal Medicine made national headlines yesterday as mainstream media outlets like CNN reported on its findings and gave Americans plenty of food for thought. Following more than 85,000 female and roughly 44,500 male subjects without heart disease, cancer or diabetes over a span of 20 to 26 years, the study explored the correlation between low-carbohydrate diets based on either animal or plant-based proteins and mortality rates, ultimately revealing the positives of vegetarian alternatives.

According to the study, subjects who consumed low-carbohydrate, high-protein diets centered on meat and other animal products had a 14 percent increased risk of dying from heart disease and a 28 percent risk of dying of cancer, while those whose diets emphasized plant-based proteins and fats had a 23 percent lower risk of succumbing to heart disease, as well as a 20 percent lower mortality rate overall. While no study is perfect, and all are subject to certain limitations, these numbers speak volumes about the potential of healthy plant-based foods to improve our quality of life.

As a physician who has long been aware of the good plant foods can do, the results of this study come as no shock. Nonetheless, it is always encouraging for me, and doubtless many of you, to see such awareness grow and result in an ever-expanding body of research that compels us to reflect on the foods we consume and consider choices that not only more positively impact our own lives, but also the world at large. After all, we truly are what we eat and the time has never been riper to embrace the power of plants – not only to benefit our health, but billions of suffering farm animals and our ailing planet too.

June 28, 2010

In June, wedding season heats up about as fast as the weather, as couples exchange vows in ceremonies that confirm their commitment to the beloved person next to them. People gather to witness a public affirmation of love and to honor and celebrate the lucky pair. These celebrations of love afford couples an opportunity to express their commitment to ethical living. Vegan weddings and commitment ceremonies are increasingly prevalent these days, as couples opt for gourmet plant-based fare that is in keeping with their ethical lifestyle.

While it’s possible these days to do a vegan wedding almost anywhere, some couples dream of having their special day at Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen, NY or Orland, CA, and over the years we’ve provided the compassionate backdrop for a number of ceremonies. Mike and Sherry Depsky didn’t really consider getting married anywhere else (although they admit to flirting ever so briefly with the idea of an Elvis impersonator in Las Vegas), and they tied the knot in our Watkins Glen visitors’ center in 2004. They return just about every year to celebrate their anniversary and stay in one of our B&B cabins.

When Ann Hawkes and Ferrol Johnson get married this fall, it will be hundreds of miles away from Farm Sanctuary outside Bloomington, Indiana in a lodge the couple is renting for the weekend. They will host about 40 guests. It’s really important to them that the celebration of their nuptials is cruelty-free, so they decided the best way was to provide housing and food for the entire weekend so guests would be completely taken care of. They plan to do all the cooking themselves, except for the cake.

One of the most important traditions is the wedding cake, and vegan versions are truly spectacular, as well as delicious. Vegan bakeries abound, and some specialize in creating memorable and delectable creations designed to please both the eyes and the palate. (Check out Sticky Fingers Bakery, Hippie Chick Bakery and Vegan Treats for some pictures of truly incredible vegan wedding cakes.)

Another traditional part of weddings and commitment ceremonies are gifts. Couples receive gifts, but they also give them in the form of mementos of the special day. Leslie Carmona recounts how she and husband Jason wove their veganism into their 2009 wedding: “We really wanted our wedding to reflect who we are as a couple. Animal advocacy is such an important part of our lives, so it was only natural for us to share this with our family and friends. At the reception, we gave each guest a Farm Sanctuary wine glass, along with a card describing this wonderful organization. It was a great way to support one of our favorite organizations, while giving a gift to commemorate our special day.”

And talking about support, some couples even ask for donations to Farm Sanctuary in lieu of wedding gifts. That’s what Ann and Ferrol are doing. “We’re already established, so we don’t really need anything,” Ann explains. “So instead we’re asking that if anyone wants to give a gift, they make a donation to Farm Sanctuary.”

This is the feel-good stuff that makes people cry at weddings and commitment ceremonies — there is so much love that it fills you with tears of joy. Throw veganism into the mix and you also get hope. When compassionate couples use their special day to extend their circle of kindness to include animals the impact is tremendous as they demonstrate that love does indeed conquer all.

Farm Sanctuary is the nation's leading farm animal protection organization. Since incorporating in 1986, Farm Sanctuary has worked to expose and stop cruel practices of the "food animal" industry ... read more.

Making Hay with Gene Baur features personal blogs from Farm Sanctuary President & Co-founder Gene Baur, as well as other entries focused on Farm Sanctuary’s advocacy efforts and the multiple ways that you can get involved and make a difference for farm animals.

Gene grew up in Hollywood, California and worked in commercials for McDonald's and other fast food restaurants. He adopted a vegan lifestyle in 1985, and today, he campaigns to raise awareness about the negative consequences of industrialized factory farming and our cheap food system. He lives in Washington, DC and is the co-founder and president of Farm Sanctuary. Read more.